As a specialist shipping software sales recruitment agency, Cordell Beaumont works with a range of exciting digital start-up companies, well-established SaaS and DaaS providers, Joint Venture projects, and publicly traded industry leaders to help them hire skilled personnel across Business Development, Product Management, Customer Success, Market Research and Executive.
This short guide sheds light on different career opportunities for professionals within the shipping software sales space.
SaaS (Software as a Service) sales is the process of selling web-based software to clients on a subscription basis. The main goal of the software is to help them solve a problem. DaaS (Data as a Service) sales is the process of selling sets of data or reports, also on a subscription or product basis, usually for a rolling time-period.
SaaS and DaaS products are being used across the shipping and maritime space in a whole variety of ways. For example, our client’s product solutions help monitor vessel movements, streamline fleet operations, improve navigation, reduce carbon emissions, increase profitability, facilitate end-to-end fixture transactions, monitor sea and weather movement.
Cordell Beaumont focuses on sales and product management professionals with strong backgrounds across business development, shipbroking, account management, specific product knowledge, and sector expertise. Our existing and prospective clients show real interest in candidates that can demonstrate a combination of industry expertise, existing client contacts and knowledge of subscription sales cycles and processes. Software Sales within shipping can lend itself well to shipbrokers, or commercial shipping professionals that are familiar with relatively sophisticated and sometimes lengthy sales cycles.
Successful SaaS/DaaS sales professionals can make an exceptional living through selling subscription services. In general, most business development-focused execs receive a 60/40 base salary/commission pay structure, with OTE (on-target earnings) usually being based on a specified revenue target of approximately 8-10x base salary. SaaS sales executives usually take home between 5-15% of revenue they generate, and the % take home will vary depending on whether sales are new business, upsells or renewals. It is not uncommon for Sales execs on a base of around £50,000 to have OTE’s of £100,000+.
In London, junior to mid-level SaaS sales execs usually receive base salaries between £30,000-£45,000, with mid to senior-level receiving a base between £50,000-£80,000, then senior £85,000 to £100,000+.
Employees in Customer Success / Client Services functions have their targets focused on upselling product modules, retaining existing clients and achieving subscription renewals. Customer Success and Client Services professionals play key account management and sales roles within SaaS businesses and they are often paid annual bonuses or quarterly commissions.
Other SaaS / DaaS sales role functions include areas such as Key Account Management, Pre-Sales, Technical Sales, and a range of other key positions to help drive business revenue and maintain repeat business.
